A review by fiekesfiction
Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The book got a sequel just to shatter hearts huh? 

“I didn’t want to live my life in a fantasy. The world I wanted to live in didn’t exist, and I was struggling to love the world I did live in. I wondered if I was strong enough or good enough to love a world that hated me.” 

This was beautiful and depressing to read. Some very beautiful writing. Almost just a collection of pretty quotes. These books are very philosophical and have so many pretty words. It is also  amazing to see how much Ari has grown and changed.

 “Part of me wanted to speak and another part of me wanted to forget all the words I had ever known and live in a silence that I would not be able to break.” 

Also love the new friendships in this book. It was so great to see Ari open up to more people and his relationship to this group of girls was absolutely amazing.

 “There was something about girls that guys didn’t have and would never have. They were amazing! Maybe one day, instead of always having to prove they were real men, guys would study women’s behaviour and start acting a little more like them. That would be awesome.” 

And the focus on family dynamics. It was very nice. In too many YA stories the parents are just not around. But in this one they are. It is about how much they all love each other and they have all made mistakes but they are learning. 

 “There’s a world out there that’s going to make you feel like that you don’t belong in this country—or any other country, for that matter. But in this house, Ari, there is only belonging. You belong to us. And we belong to you." 

Dante was surprisingly absent for a big part of the story but I think that wasn't really a bad thing.
The moments they did have together were nice. 

 “I don’t ever want to wake up,” he whispered.
“We have to go home.”
“I’m already home. I’m with you.”
That made me smile. Such a Dante thing to say.”

The ending kind of annoyed me. A big thing that happened between Dante and Ari felt rushed and odd. It seemed to be there only to add some 'drama' but it was kind of odd.

“Last year, Mr. Blocker said we could find ourselves in our own writing. All I could think was this: Sounds like a good place to get lost. Yeah, I think I might get lost a hundred times, a thousand times, before I find out who I am and where I’m going.”

There are also a bunch of things and little phrases that were questionable. This story does take place a long time ago and as the young boys are still figuring things out it is normal that they don't know everything...  but there are some moments that I am not sure about. 

now I wouldn't say that Ari and Dante discover the secrets of the universe needed a sequel. It had a good story and ending. This book was not really necessary. 

 “Maybe all we were meant to do on this earth was to keep on telling stories. Our stories—and the stories of the people we loved.”